16 replies to this topic

[Sethro]

Looking for something light and crisp.

[chefpeon]

This one looks good...has ricotta cheese in it.......

You East Coasters keep throwing all this "new" stuff at me.
Keeps me on my toes. I had to look up "zeppole".....had never heard of it out here!

[Desiderio]

Should have posted in the italian cooking forum

[maggiejiggs]

My aunt sent me this just a week ago. I haven't tried it yet, so can't vouch for it! But she likes to eat, so These don't sound as light as the ricotta recipe, though.

4 cups sifted flour
1 T melted butter
1/2 pint sour cream
2 T sugar
1/2 t salt
5 egg yolks, lightly beaten
2 oz rye whiskey
1/2 t vanilla

Make a well in the flour, add all ingredients. Mix well. Let rest a few minutes. Make a ball, knead about 10 min till smooth and elastic. Roll out small amounts at a time, thinly. Cut into squares, slit each square in the center. Deep fry till golden. When cool, sprinkle with powdered sugar.

[Sethro]

Both those recipes are for the savory, bread-y zeppoles. Sorry, I should have specified I'm looking for the sweet, lighter kind.
I had a pretty good recipe that called for pastry flour and baking powder, but that hard-drive died and all was lost.

EDIT: possibly a mod could move this to the Italian forum so I don't have to cross-post it?

Edited by Sethro, 14 October 2006 - 05:07 PM.

[Swisskaese]

Both those recipes are for the savory, bread-y zeppoles. Sorry, I should have specified I'm looking for the sweet, lighter kind.
I had a pretty good recipe that called for pastry flour and baking powder, but that hard-drive died and all was lost.

EDIT: possibly a mod could move this to the Italian forum so I don't have to cross-post it?

Here is one with baking powder. Zeppole

Edited by Swisskaese, 15 October 2006 - 01:02 AM.

[maggiejiggs]

Both those recipes are for the savory, bread-y zeppoles. Sorry, I should have specified I'm looking for the sweet, lighter kind.
I had a pretty good recipe that called for pastry flour and baking powder, but that hard-drive died and all was lost.

EDIT: possibly a mod could move this to the Italian forum so I don't have to cross-post it?

Here is one with baking powder. Zeppoli

I love zeppole. Now I'm going to have to try all our recipies. Luckily I still have two teenage boys at home. They'll help me to keep from ingesting all of them myself

[lapasterie]

I have not done these for a few years, but if I remember they are really good.
Zeppole
1c. Presto( Self rising cake flour)
1 lb. Ricotta
4 eggs
2 T. Sugar
1 tsp vanilla

[chefreit]

Which ever one you choose. Please make sure it has YEAST (this a very important part of the flavor and texture development), FRESH GROUND CINNAMON, Grated potato for a light texture and a TOUCH of LEMON ZEST,
ALL are used in real ITALIAN Zepploes. If you email me I'll give my grandma's recipe.

[Sethro]

Which ever one you choose. Please make sure it has YEAST (this a very important part of the flavor and texture development), FRESH GROUND CINNAMON, Grated potato for a light texture and a TOUCH of LEMON ZEST,
ALL are used in real ITALIAN Zepploes. If you email me I'll give my grandma's recipe.

Again, those are the savory, more bread-y zeppoles. There is another breed of zeppole that's much more similar to choux paste.

I'm gonna check out that baking powder one and see what happens.

[Swisskaese]

Which ever one you choose. Please make sure it has YEAST (this a very important part of the flavor and texture development), FRESH GROUND CINNAMON, Grated potato for a light texture and a TOUCH of LEMON ZEST,
ALL are used in real ITALIAN Zepploes. If you email me I'll give my grandma's recipe.

Again, those are the savory, more bread-y zeppoles. There is another breed of zeppole that's much more similar to choux paste.

I'm gonna check out that baking powder one and see what happens.

What do you mean they are savory? Zeppoli are sweet.

The lighter version are the ones from Naples.

Edited by Swisskaese, 15 October 2006 - 01:01 AM.

[chefpeon]

This recipe is more "choux-ish" in the way it's prepared......

For the dough:

        * 2 1/2 cups (250 g) flour, sifted
        * An equal volume of water
        * A pinch of salt
        * A pot of olive oil for frying (you can use other oils if need be)
        * 1/2 cup (about 125 ml) white wine

For the dredging:

        * 3 teaspoons powdered cinnamon mixed with
        * 1 cup (200 g) sugar

Set the water and wine to heat, and when bubbles form on the bottom of the pot (it's shouldn't come to a full boil) add the flour in one fell swoop and stir constantly with a wooden spoon. When the dough comes out of the pot in a single piece remove it from the fire to a lightly oiled marble work surface and work it, pounding it with a rolling pin, for about 10 minutes so as to make it smooth and homogeneous. Roll the dough into snakes about as thick as your little finger, cut them into 8-inch (20 cm) lengths, and pinch the ends together to make rings.

Heat the oil and fry the zeppole a few at a time, pricking them with a skewer as they fry, so the dough will bubble out and they'll become crunchier and more golden. Drain them on an absorbent paper and dredge them in the cinnamon-and-sugar mixture. They're good hot or cold.

[lapasterie]

It sounds like you are looking for the St. Joseph's Day zeppole also known as
Sfinge di San Giusepe

1c Water
1/2 c Crisco
1/2 tsp. Salt
1c. Flour
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

1. In a heavy 2 qt. saucepan combine water, crisco and salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously. Return to med heat stirring until mixture forms a solid mass and comes away from sides of pan, about 1-2 min. Lower heat and cook until a slight film forms on pan bottom ,about 3 min. Remove from heat and place in deep bowl. stir to cool a bit
2. Add eggs one at a time beating vigorously till smooth and shiny.( this can be done with electric mixer and paddle)
3. Beat in baking powder, sugar and vanilla.
4. Heat about 1 1/2 qt. veg oil in a large 5 qt. saucepan to 350 deg.
5. Drop by spoonful into oil, fry till golden

Note:
Traditionally these are allowed to cool then filled with a ricotta filling

[chefreit]

It sounds like you are looking for the St. Joseph's Day zeppole also known as
Sfinge di San Giusepe

1c Water
1/2 c Crisco
1/2 tsp. Salt
1c. Flour
4 large eggs
1/2 tsp. baking powder
1 T. sugar
1 tsp. Vanilla

1. In a heavy 2 qt. saucepan combine water, crisco and salt. Bring to a rolling boil.
Remove from heat and add flour all at once, stirring vigorously.  Return to med heat stirring until mixture forms a solid mass and comes away from sides of pan, about 1-2 min. Lower heat and cook until a slight film forms on pan bottom ,about 3 min. Remove from heat and place in deep bowl. stir to cool a bit
2. Add eggs one at a time beating vigorously till smooth and shiny.( this can be done with electric mixer and paddle)
3. Beat in baking powder, sugar and vanilla.
4. Heat about 1 1/2 qt. veg oil in a large 5 qt. saucepan to 350 deg.
5. Drop by spoonful into oil, fry till golden

Note:
Traditionally these are allowed to cool then filled with a ricotta filling

Exactly!
This is an animal of another species.

[Sethro]

Much thanks! Testing tommorow.

[Sethro]

...and those came out just fine. Thank you.

[Franci]

When in Italy you talk about zeppole you mean zeppole di san giuseppe.
First time I saw "zeppole" in the States I got upset...another "liberty" of the italian-american kitchen. Then I discovered that in some dialects with zeppole is meant a fry dough.

But nowadays if you ask to any Italian what is a zeppola, it would be zeppole di San Giuseppe as lapasterie said. Although Crisco is a product will never enter my kitchen.
It's just a choux dough, in a ring shape, fried. Decorated with pastry creams and sour black cherries in syrup

zeppole

In Milan the same dough, fried, is called tortelli and made for Carnival (French make also the same dessert)

Edited by Franci, 26 October 2006 - 01:46 AM.